The Journey Of 2 Heroes
by Writteroftime
Summary: 1 aging hero full of regret looking to find himself and rediscover his purpose. A playboy who will become a future hero washed up in purgatory at the beginning of his crusade. These 2 heroes will need each other to survive and discover the truth about each other. My take on how Batmans mask ended up on Lian Yu in arrow season 8 episode 1


_Jokes on you Batman_

Those words sprayed bright into Jason Todds Robin suit. Bruce Wayne had been searching for Jason for weeks after learning about how the Joker had captured and torutued him. Bruce had eventually found him dead buried in a graveyard in Arkham Assylum. He was barely recognisable and had every bone in his body broken and numerous scar tissue around his body.

After that Bruce had dedicated himself to finding the Joker and ending him. Eventually he did. Of course now he realises it was the Jokers plan all along to let Batman find him. Bruce's plan had been to arrest Joker and make sure he never ever got free again. But when he saw him cackling away with his psychotic laughter something snapped inside the Caped Crusader. Bruce had sworn an oath of no killing but Joker had finally won and Bruce had beaten joker to an inch of his life and still the Joker laughed so Bruce snapped his neck then branded him with the bat symbol and dumped his body outside of GCPD. The Joker had finally been defeated but Bruce knew that Joker would've been very happy with how it unfolded.

The weeks after Bruce refused to go out as Batman, he felt guilt. Guilt over Jason's death, guilt over killing joker and also guilt over what he had discovered later.

The day after Jokers death a file had been sent to Wayne Manor. Bruce opened it and saw the psychological report of Arthur Fleck. A mentally ill man who had turned insane and gone on a killing spree which included his own mother, 3 Wayne industries workers and a talk show host. Bruce recognised the face in the file as Joker instantly. He'd spent years trying to figure the Jokers real identity but never found anything. Obviously Joker or Arthur had covered it up but he had anticipated his death and now he really wanted Bruce to feel it by showing him just who he was.

Bruce saw Arthur fleck had been insane but also he had been failed miserably. He wasn't allowed to keep up with his medication he was allowed to live in poverty and had been brutally beaten by those workers he'd killed.

Bruce had always assumed that Joker had failed Gotham. But in truth Gotham had failed him.

Bruce had always seen things in black and white. Good and evil. But this file about Joker proved things weren't that black and white.

Alfred walks down into the Batcave where Bruce had been spending all his time.

"Master Wayne. Can I prepare you a meal?"

Bruce dismisses him as usual.

"No thank you Alfred."

"Sir usually I criticise you spending to much as Batman, but now you are not either being Bruce Wayne or Batman."

Bruce turns to look at Alfred.

"That is because neither of them are good enough and both have failed. Bruce Wayne failed Jason and Batman failed himself by killing Joker."

"Sir Master Todds death was a terrible thing but he knew the risks of the work he was doing. As for Joker. After all the terrible things that man did I think death was the best option for him. You tried to lock him before and he always escaped didn't he? You did gotham and the world a favour sir."

Bruce sighs.

"Did you see the file Alfred. That wasn't an evil mastermind it was a man who had suffered because of the evils of Gotham."

"Yes I did sir. Now Arthur Fleck had a awful life no doubt about it. But it is no excuse to do the things he did sir. That man didn't exust anymore, I remember that shooting on tv. Arthur Fleck died that day and Joker was born. Yes you killed him but by doing so you stopped many more dying because of him."

Bruce turns and looks back at the Batcomputer.

"I need to leave Gotham Alfred. I need to reevaluate things. Clear my head. THe last time I left Gotham I came back as Batman. I transformed myself then I need to do the same again now. Prepare the helicopter and pack up the bat suit."

Alfred tilts his head.

"You are bringing that with you?"

"Yes I need to find out exactly who I am and by bringing batman with me I believe is the way to do it."

"Sir Gotham still needs Batman. Just because Joker is dead doesn't mean there still isn't crime here."

"Alfred I am in no state to continue this right now. If I go out there like this I will be hesitating and that hesitation can get me and innocent people killed. I need to figure out if my no killing rule still served the purpose of protecting Gotham or if me killing will actually make things better. Besides after 20 years of being batman there isn't many super villains. Joker was the last one. 2 face, riddler, Penguin all of them are gone, yes there is still the street crime. but Gordon and the GCPD can handle that in my absence. I won't be gone forever batman will rise again. But I need to figure out where Batman stands in this world now and if he is needed anymore."

"Well sir even if I tell you to not do this. You will only do it anyway. You always do whatever you think is right and usually you are right and your instincts are correct. So I wish you the best of luck sir.

"Thank you for having my back Alfred."

"Always Master Wayne."

The 2 men shake hands.

Hours later Bruce was in the air in his chopper with the pilot up front. Bruce was in contact with Alfred.

"Why did you pick this place sir?"

"It's remote and far away from anywhere. There should no disturbances so I can truly figure things out about how to continue my mission."

"How long will you be gone far?"

"For however long it takes."

The pilot looks round and shouts at him.

"Mr Wayne. We've arrived."

Bruce nods and opens the door and double checks his parachute. Alfred speaks to Bruce through thr com link one more time.

"Well good luck then sir. But first can I ask where you are going in case I need to find you in an emergency."

"It's an island off the South China Sea."

"What's it called sir."

"Lian Yu."

With that Bruce throws his head seat onto the seat and dives out the chopper and approaches the island. He begins his descent to purgatory."


End file.
